WASHINGTON, DC – September 18, 2026 (STL.News) President Donald Trump said Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House effective immediately, escalating his administration’s dispute with several major news organizations.
Trump announced the decision in a post on Truth Social, accusing the three organizations of publishing or broadcasting false information about him, his administration, and the United States.
“Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Trump wrote, according to multiple reports.
Trump later addressed the decision while speaking with reporters at the White House.
“I don’t want them in my office,” Trump said. “I don’t want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can.”
Trump also indicated that additional news organizations could face similar restrictions.
Trump announces immediate White House media ban
The precise scope and enforcement of the ban were not immediately clear Friday.
Trump’s announcement described the restrictions as taking effect immediately, but CNN journalists reportedly remained at the White House following the announcement.
It was also not immediately clear whether the administration intends to revoke permanent White House credentials, prohibit reporters from entering the White House complex, remove the organizations from press-pool rotations or restrict their access to certain presidential events.
As of Friday afternoon, the White House had not published a presidential action or formal statement on its website detailing how it would implement the restrictions.
CNN is particularly significant to the White House press system because television networks traditionally participate in a rotating pool that covers presidential events when space prevents the entire press corps from attending.
Trump threatens additional media restrictions
Trump’s announcement did not stop with CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
The president said other news organizations could also face restrictions, potentially widening a confrontation between the administration and members of the national press corps.
Trump has repeatedly criticized news organizations that he believes have treated him or his administration unfairly, frequently describing unfavorable coverage as “fake news.”
The president’s latest action represents another escalation in a long-running dispute over media access to the White House.
Previous disputes over White House press access
The Trump administration has previously faced legal challenges involving restrictions on journalists.
During Trump’s first administration, the White House revoked CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credential following a contentious exchange during a 2018 news conference.
CNN sued the administration, and a federal judge temporarily restored Acosta’s credential. The White House subsequently restored his permanent credential.
A more recent dispute involved The Associated Press after the news organization continued referring to the Gulf of Mexico, even as Trump’s executive action renamed it the Gulf of America for U.S. government purposes.
The White House restricted AP access to certain presidential events, prompting the news organization to file a lawsuit alleging that the administration was retaliating against it because of its editorial decisions.
The latest restrictions involving CNN, MS NOW and Politico could generate additional legal challenges involving First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press.
First Amendment questions could follow
The First Amendment prohibits the government from abridging freedom of speech or freedom of the press, but the constitutional questions surrounding White House access can be more complicated than whether an individual news organization has an unrestricted right to attend every presidential event.
Courts have previously considered whether the government may deny established press access based on a news organization’s coverage or viewpoint.
The administration could therefore face questions about its reasons for excluding the three organizations, the procedures used to impose the restrictions and whether similarly situated news organizations are being treated differently because of their reporting.
Any legal challenge would ultimately depend on how the White House implements Trump’s announcement.
CNN reporters remained at White House
Despite Trump’s declaration that the restrictions were effective immediately, reports Friday indicated CNN personnel continued working from the White House.
That leaves an important distinction between Trump’s announced policy and its practical implementation.
The White House is expected to clarify whether reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico will retain credentials and which areas or presidential events they will be permitted to access.
The situation remains developing.
STL.News will update this report as additional information becomes available from the White House and the affected news organizations.
